hastings



3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. L. HASTINGS. Cotton Picker.

No. 243,131 Patented June 21,1881.

NA PETERS, vnumumngnphu. wmlngm. .c.

3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. L. HASH-NGS.

Cotton Picker.

Patented June 21,1881.

n .gm/m

N. PETERS. MMM'. Wm D. C,

i SSheets-Sheet 3.

lJ. L. HASTINGS.

Cotton Pickar.

No. 243,131. Patented llune 21,1881.

ZBS ;v I e l Inventor;

N. Pneus. mmumgnpw. www.; n. a

KUNITED STATES PATENT Ormea.

'JAMES L. HASTINGS, OF NEVS7 ORLEANS, LOUISIANA, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENT, TO BERNHARD WELKER, CONRAD REITER, BERNHARD .KRUGER HUGH LAFFERTY, AND WILLIAM B. HOLLIS, IN TRUST FOR HASTINGS COTTON PIOKEItMANUFAUTURING COMPANY.

COTTON-PICKER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 243,131, dated June 21, 1881.

Application filed May 28, 1878.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES LANCE HAsfr- INGS, of New Orleans, in the parish of Orleans and State of Louisiana, have invented anew and useful Improvement in Machines for Picking Cotton, which improvement is fully set forth in the following specification, reference being ,had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to a machine for picking cotton from the plant, to be propelled through the field of plants by horse or other motive power; and it consists in the general form and construction of the machine, and in r 5 the construction and arrangement of parts of the same, as hereinafter described, and spe# eiticall'y pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure l is an elevation, showing the picking side of a machine embodyzo ing myinvent-ion. Fig. 2 is aplan view. Fig.

3 is a view of the opposite side from that of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is an elevation of the forward end. Fig. 5 is an elevation ot' the rear end.

Fig. 6 is a vertical section taken on line 1 1 of z5 Fig. 2. Fig. Tis a side and FigS aplan view of the shield or guide-plate. Fig. 9 is a vertical section, taken on line2 2 in Fig. 2, of the Y extension-armand its guide. Fig. l() is a face view of the external shield or guard. Figs.

3o 1l and12 axeviews of two sides, and Fig. 13 an end view of a pair of pickers drawn on a larger scale.

The frame of the machine consists of the longitudinal pieces A, cross-pieces B, uprights 3 5 C, bottom board or platform, D, top board or covering, E, having suitable braces, as shown. The rear of the machine rests on the one broadfaced wheel F. The longitudinal piece G is connected to and placed lower than one of the 4o pieces A, of which it serves as a part or eXtension to let down one side and incline the covered portion of the machine. The curved pieces H and cross-piece B allow the forward part of the machine to rest on a wheel, I, 4 5 whichmay swivel on a pivot at a for directing the machine. The seat for a driver is shown at J, and portions of shafts for one horse at c. vIt will be seen that the bottom D is inclined considerably, and that the body or covered portion is tipped. By this means the picking side of the machine is brought to conform to the pyramidal shape of the plants and the lower edgebrought nearer the ground, and the bottom on the opposite side of the machine may extend over a portion of the adjacent row of plants. The top E is parallel with the bottom D. Two plates or disks parallel to each other are centrally pivoted, the one, K, to revolve on the upper side ofthe bottom D, and the other, L, on the under side of the top E. These disks do not have their axes in the same line, owing to the inclination of the top and bottoln to the supports C. These disks revolve about their axes at the same speed, being driven by the pinions b and cengaging with the teeth shown thereon, so that the sides toward the plants being picked shall move in an opposite direction from, but the same speed as, the forward movement of the machine.

Four picker-rods M are here shown, although any suitable number may be used. These rods are pivoted at their lower ends to the disk K, and at their upper ends to the disk L, being pivoted rather than fastened rigidly to the disks to preserve the same inclination as they are carried by the disks. Each picker-rod is shaped or bent to form in appearance a succession of cranks.

The pickers N consist each one of a core, d, on the outside of which are fastened the bent wires or teeth, similar to those of card-clothing.77 I prefer to use card-clothing, which, being in strips, I wind spirallyyabout a cylindrical core, d, and thus cause the wires or teeth to hook in the direction in which the picker is revolved in the plant, and also slightly toward the inner end. Each picker is rounded at its outer end or point to prevent injury to the plant, and is centrally and longitudinally journaled, having at its inner end a gear or luted roller, e. The pickers are best arranged in pairs, -two being connected bya bar, f, which is pivoted at each end to one of the rods or shafts g, on which the pickers revolve, and

.which has a bearing or box, h, for the pickerrod. Only a few pickers are shown in the drawings; butany desired number maybe used,

arranged on thepicker-rods, as shown, from the bottom to the top ofthe machine.

Horizontal bars O, only two of which are shown in the drawings, are secured to the picking side of the machine, as many as are required, and so as to leave spaces between them. On the upper edge of cach ofthe bars O, for the distance required, are the teeth t'.

As the disks K and L revolve the pickerrods M will be carried around, and will bring the pickers N tothe picking side of the machine and thrust. them endwise through the spaces between the bars O into the plants. As the pickers are carried along the bars O the gears or fiuted rollers e will engage with the teeth on the bars, and the pickers will be revolved and will wind upon themselves the cotton with which they come in contact, and which is caught by the bent wires or teeth thereon. Flanges j are on the shanks of the shafts g, which, bearing against the inner sides of the bars 0, will cause each one of a pair of pickers to project at rightangles to the side ot' the machine. Owing to the crank form of the picker-rods M, any two adjacent pairs of pickers will alternate in entering and being withdrawn from the plants, and on account of the speed and direction of motion-of the disks K and L the pickers will enter and be withdrawn endwise, having no sidewise movement with reference to the plants. As the pickers are withdrawn from the plants they enter themachine through the spaces between the bars O and are carried near the cleaning-belts l?. There is a shield or curved guide-plate, Q to direct the pickers as they are carried around in the machine, there being a projection, k, on the shank of the shaft g of each picker to bear against the guide-plate. Each projection 7c will also come in contact with one ot' the projections or ribs Z on the inner side of the guideplate, to throw each pair of pickers around, so that they will be carried against the cleaningbelts P and be made to enter and project fromV the machine in a line at right angles to its picking side.

There are two cleaning-belts P, one at the rear and the other at the forward portion of the covered part of the machine. Each ot' these belts passes about two pulleys, one, R, at the top and the other, S, at the bottom ofthe machine, and is so driven as to cause the innerv portion to move upward. Vires or teeth are fixed in these belts to project from the outer surface and to curve or hook in the direction of motion. One of each pair of pickers will be brought in contact with one of the cleaningbelts, and the other picker with the other cleaning-belt. The motion of the cleaning-helts Will cause the picker with which it is brought in contact to revolve, and, removing the cotton therefrom,will carry it upward and over against one of the two brush-wheels T. These brushwheels are revolved rapidly in a direction to clear the cotton from the belts, and by aid of the casin gs U, only one of which is shown in the drawings, will collect and deliver thecotton into bags or other suitable receptacles hung on the spouts formed with the casings U, or otherwise attached to the machine.

I prefer to drive the moving parts of the machine as follows: On the shaft of the main supporting and driving wheel F is a chainpulley, V, which may be thrown in or out ot' connection with .the wheel F by a clutch, m, operated by a rod, u, and hand-lever n. About the pulley Vruns a chain, lV, which also passes about a pulley, o. On the same shaft with the pulley o is a pulley, o', and the pinion b to revolve with it. A chain passes about the pulley o and avpulley, p. On the same shaft with the pulley p is a pulley, p', and the pinion c to revolve with it. A chain passes about the pulleyp, and also about a pulley, q, having on the same shaft, to run with it, a gear, yr. The chain lV runs under and gives motion to a pulley, s, having on the. same shaft, to run with it, a pulley, s. A chain runs from the pulley s to a pulley, t, having on the same shaft, to run with it, a gear, u. Thus the clean ing-belts are driven, one of the pulleys R beingon the same shaft with the pulley q, to run with it, and the other being on the shaft with the pulley t, to run with it. The gears rand u engage with gears on the same shafts with the brush-wheels T, and thus the latter are driven.

A third wheel, X, is employed' for the fnr ther support ofthe machine, which wheel runs on the ground at the side of the row of plants opposite from that being picked. This wheel is held by an extension-arm, Y, which is curved in the properform to pass over the plants and be held at the top of the machine, where it passes through and may slide in abox, c, and be held there by a set-screw or similar device.

The box c is pivoted to swing in a vertical plane to a stand, c', which is pivoted to top of machine to turn horizontally. A brace and guide, w, is set against the arm Y, and isfastcned and made adjustable on the top of the machine. The arm Y also passes through a slot in a vert-ical guide, which is fastened, braced, and made adjustable at the top ot' the machine, as shown. In the guide x are springs y, which press one against the top and the other against the bottom side of ther arm Y. By means of these springs the movement of the machine is eased, a rocking` motion being allowed to the machine to conform to the inequalities ofthe ground.

' A shield or guard-plate, Z, (shown only in Figs. 6 and 10), may be fastened on the face of the picking side of the machine, having slots corresponding to the spaces between the bars O, to further protect the plants from injury and lessen the friction of the plants against the machine.

The machine shown is to pick on one side of a row of plants and this form seems most desirable, as the machine may be drawn and the machinery operated by the power of onehorse; but, as will readily be seen, a double machine IIO may be constructed to operate in a similar manner to pick on the two adjacent sides of two rows of plants. My machine, bein gadapted to picking from the rows of plants, and being conformable to the pyramidal form of the plants, both to reach the plants being picked and to clear and pass the row on the other side of the machine, will not require any change from the present Inode of the cultivation of cotton. u

By preventing any sidewise movemcntof the pickers in the plants the unopened bolls or other portions of the plants will not be injured. On account of the endwise and downward-inclined thrust of the pickers into the plants all of the cotton will be reached; and on account of their revolving motion while in the plants and the hooking of the teeth, as above stated, the greatest portion possible of the cotton will be gathered. The pickers,on being withdrawn into the machine, pass through the slots in the outer shield or guard and between the bars O, which will clear the cotton of sticks and other coarse foreign matter.

rIhe inclining of the sides and bottom ofthe machine and the use of the two wheels Fand I, together with the third wheel on the other side of the row of plants, adapt the machine to travel in the narrowest `spare between the rows.

As the pickers are made removable from the picker-rods, any required number may be used.-

The machine is ot' proper height to pick from bottom to top of the plants; but certain pickings will require the pickers for only part of the height of the machine. The alternating motion of the pickers by the crank form of the picker-rods will contribute to' cause the pickers to reach the cotton through the whole side of the plants operated upon.

I claim as my invention- 1. A cotton-harvester having inclined bottom and sides,the main body being supported on wheels, and further braced and supported by an extension-arm with wheel, whereby the machine is adapted to bestride a row of plants and pass over t-he lower branches of the adjacent row, substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore set forth.

2. The pickers N, in combination with the inclined picker-rods M, whereby said pickers enter the plants and are withdrawn, substantially as hereinbefore specied.

i 3. rlhe pickers N, in combination with the inclined picker-rods M, each of thelatter being provided with several bends or cranks, substantially as hereinbefore set forth.

4. The pickers N, arranged in pairs, and in combination with the cross-bars f, each having a bearing or box, h, for a picker-rod, substantially as hereinbefore described.

5. A picker adapted to pick cotton from the plant, formed of a core, d, having teeth thereon looking in the direction of the revolution ot' the pickerv while in the plant, and having a point smooth-that is, free from teeth-substan tially as hereinbet'ore described.

6. The pickers N, having the gears or tinted rollers e, in combination with the racks and teeth i, whereby said pickers are revolved while moving along and with reference to the body of the machine, substantially as hereinbefore specified.

7. The combination of the disks Kand L and picker-rods M, substantially as hereinbefore described.

8. The cleaning-belts P, constructed and arranged substantially as specified, in combination with the pickers N, arranged in pairs and brought in contact with them, as hereinbefore set forth.

9. The combination of the pickers N, pickerrods M, disks K and L, and shield or guideplate Q, substantially as hereinbefore described.

10. The pickers N, moved substantially as set forth, and having the projectionsk, in combination with the shield or guide-plate Q, having the projections or ribs If, substantially as hereinbefore specified.

l1. The combination of the brush-wheels T, cleaning-belts P, and pickers N, arranged in pairs, substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore set forth.

12. In a cotton-harvester having the body thereof inclined, the combination of wheel X, eXtension-arn1.Y, and box fv, pivoted substantially as hereinbefore described.

3. In a cotton-harvester, the combination of wheel X, extension -arm Y, guide w, and springs o ,substantially as and for the purpose hcreinbetore specified.

JAMES LANGE HASTINGS.

Witnesses:

EDW. DUMMER, H. W. BRICHER.

IOO 

